mifepristone

/ˌmɪfəˈprɪstoʊn/
noun
  1. A drug used to end an early pregnancy, usually taken together with another medicine.
    • Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone, which is needed for a pregnancy to continue.
    • The doctor prescribed mifepristone to terminate the pregnancy safely.
    • After taking mifepristone, the patient returned to the clinic for a follow-up dose of misoprostol.
  2. A medication sometimes used to treat certain medical conditions, such as Cushing's syndrome, by blocking the effects of cortisol.
    • Researchers are studying mifepristone for its potential use in treating some types of depression.
    • The endocrinologist prescribed mifepristone to manage the symptoms of the hormone disorder.
    • For patients with Cushing's syndrome, mifepristone can help control high blood sugar caused by excess cortisol.